NEWS & UPDATES

CALLUM GILHOOLEY was the first of the 4 year old bumper horses to have an outing this winter – and he’s rather set the standard for the rest of them now !
It looked a decent bumper at Bangor – some expensive, nicely bred horses in the race, and a good few with previous experience too – but he travelled as well as anything, quickened when they quickened, and then threaded his way through horses to get his head in front in the final furlong and win going away. He’s bred to get further, and he jumps for fun, so I think he is going to be a very nice hurdler for someone as he gets older.

Two nice runs at Warwick today to put a smile back on everyone’s faces after the disappointments earlier in the week. BOLDMERE ran a super race in the Maiden hurdle, stepping up in trip, but importantly back on slightly better ground and a flat track. That looks like it will turn out to be a nice race, and there are races to be won with him over hurdles before he goes chasing – where he should be even better.
DAYDREAM AULMES finally got it all together after a couple of slightly disappointing runs earlier this autumn. His jumping can still improve, but he showed a nice attitude when left in front 2 out to battle on and keep his head in front all the way to the line. Delighted for Sue Howell – she’s been a great supporter of the yard in recent years, and lovely to have a winner for her.

I thought we had 2 good chances at Hexham today, but CRANBROOK CAUSEWAY found a couple too good in the staying handicap chase, and PERSHING MISSILE never went a yard. A long, slow journey home as a result, and back to the drawing board.

You couldn’t make it up. MY CHARITY went all the way to Musselburgh for a Novice handicap chase after his first fence fall last week – flat track, lovely ground, small fences – and did exactly the same thing again. Saw a perfect stride, jumped it perfectly, got his legs tangle on landing and came down. He’s pretty sore as a result, and I think he has to go back over hurdles next time out to get his confidence. Its such a shame – he schools so well at home.

Three at Chepstow today, 2 over fences and 1 over hurdles, and the rain ensured that every race was a proper test.
That unfortunately wasn’t to TELSON BARLEY’s liking. He jumped well, but hated the ground and finished we3ll back. Flatter track and better ground next time, and since he should also then have his handicap mark, I’d expect more from him on his next run.
AMI DESBOIS bounced back from his disappointment at Newcastle last Saturday with a super run in the Welsh National trial. He jumped from fence and fence, and but for a mistake at the 2nd last, would have been bang there. Still, a 3rd place in that quality of race on his first completion for more than 12 months isn’t a bad way to start the season, and I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t come on a few pounds for that run too.
KAYF BLANCO stepped up to 3 miles for the first time in the 0-150 Novice handicap chase, and I don’t think he quite got that trip, particularly on a testing track and in wet conditions. He tried his heart out – as he always does – and ran into yet another place, but he was no match for the first and second home. A drop back to 2m 6f, and possibly a flatter track, is where I’d like him to go next.

HEY BILL gave Calum McBride his first ride under NH Rules today at Sandown in the Amateur Riders race. He jumped superbly, and was still bang there when horse and jockey had a disagreement 2 out over whether a long one was on the cards, and Callum unseated ! He gave him a super ride though, and there will be plenty more opportunities – for both of them – to be winning this season.

SHADY GLEN looks to be finding his feet after a couple of below-par efforts in the autumn. 2m 5f around Fakenham was always going to be sharp for him, but he travelled and jumped really well before being quickened out of it from the 2nd last. That should help his confidence no need, and hopefully he can have 1 last nice run before he starts his winter break.

Newcastle is always a long way to go, but a winner makes the journey back a great deal quicker – even if the winner wasn’t the one that we thought would take the honours !
ASK BEN came to us in the spring after finishing second in an Irish point to point. The winner of that point won at Hereford on Wednesday, and that form looked pretty solid, so I hoped he’d run a nice race in soft ground in the Furze Novice hurdle, but with the quality of the runners, and him only being a 5 year old having his first run under Rules, I thought a ‘nice run’ would be third or fourth. He showed a cracking attitude to get his head in front at the last, and then battle back again when headed close to the line, to take the honours in a 4 way photo. Nice horse with a big future I think.
AMI DESBOIS looked to have a really good chance in the Rehearsal Chase on his return from injury, but he only got as far as the third fence when he got hampered and unseated Kielan. He had another loose to keep him company, and that one fortunately pulled up at the line on the first circuit, so he didn’t gallop too far, and should be ready to run again sooner rather than later.

On top of that, SKIPTHECUDDLES made a storming debut over fences at Newbury in the Grade 2 Novice hurdle, jumping like an old handicapper and finishing a solid 4th behind more experienced horses. A first 3 finish, and black type, would have been nice – not least because we have his half-sister here at home – but I’m confident that will come as the season progresses.

Three at Doncaster, although only 2 got to run !
BUDDING ROBIN and BENTONS LAD both ran OK in the early hurdle races, but poor SCOOBY was walking around the paddock, saddled up and ready to make his debut over fences in the novice handicap chase, when the Stewards decided that the racing surface was unsafe and abandoned the meeting with 2 races left to run. Frustrating, but safety is paramount and so undoubtedly the right decision.

One of those days today at Taunton that you’d rather just forget about.
MY CHARITY was making his debut over fences, and got as far as the first fence before landing a bit too steeply, pitching forward and unseating Kielan. He’s been a cracking jumper at home – a bit over-confident if anything – and for his first chase to come to a premature end like that was frustrating.
FOLLOW THE SWALLOW’s run was even more heart-breaking. After being pipped on the line first time out, Lilly gave him a super ride to take it up 2 out, and he was pulling further and further clear as they came to the last, still on the bridle. Jumped it 10 lengths clear and … knuckled on landing. He deserved to win that today, and instead of being 2 for 2 in his last starts, he’s 0 for 2.

Just the one runner today, RED ADMIRABLE at Ludlow. He often needs his first run of the season, so not disappointed to see the old man run well for a long way before just weakening out of it. He’s still enjoying his racing, and hopefully he’ll be able to enjoy a final win or two before retirement at the end of the season.

One of the yard favourites, KAYF BLANCO, made his seasonal return at Market Rasen today. While the Racing Post focuses on him being a 10 race maiden over fences, that’s not really fair on him – he’s now placed in 8 of those 10 starts, including in some top class handicaps. The step up in trip today, to 2m 6f, was a bit of a step into the unknown, but we finished last year thinking he’d now get further, and so it proved – he travelled into the race really nicely and finished strongly, running on (predictably !) into a place.

Great ride by Tom Humphries too, deputising for Kielan while he recovers from injury. Get well soon, from all of us at the yard.

I said it last year, and was wrong, but I’ll say it again now about this season – I believe there is a really big handicap win in him once conditions get a bit softer.

CRANBROOK CAUSEWAY is definitely going the right way now that we have him over fences. The slightly slower pace of the races lets him travel better, and he despite only having his second start over the larger obstacles, he jumps them like an old handicapper. A mistake at the second last cost him the chance of a win, but he finished in the places and it should only be a matter of time before he gets his nose in front.

DAYDREAM AULMES is also improving over hurdles. Having won his bumper last year, we expected a bit more of him over obstacles than he’s shown to date, but he is a quirky, highly-strung horse, and he’s struggled to settle a bit in his races, with the result that his jumping hasn’t always been that fluent. Much better today though – he travelled well, jumped well and finished well.

We’d been hoping that a drop of rain might come so that we can get POPERINGHE GINGER’s hurdling career off and running, but unfortunately the tracks with the mares novice hurdles have all had going on the quick side of good. Rather than leave her at home, the listed mares bumper at Cheltenham today was a good alternative for her, and although she just missed out on black type, she ran a super race and gave connections a great day out into the bargain. She’s going to be something a bit special I think – good speed, will relish the step up in trip and jumps really well.

HEY BILL was another one who I think really needed the run today. He’s been managing at home just fine, but the older horses do the circle very easily, and have probably just fooled us into thinking they are fitter than some of them are. Back on the hill next week, and that will find a few of them out !

Not a great day at Hereford, with TELSON BARLEY falling at the last and PADDYS RUNNER pulling up. We’ve been off the hill gallop for over a week while the new surface goes down, and I’d say that the pair of them might just have been a bit short as a result – despite the fact that they’ve all been doing a huge amount of stamina work around the loop.

I ended last season thinking that the handicapper had got SAMMYLOU all wrong – his opening mark just looked far too high to be true. However, based on that seasonal debut today, I might just have to eat my words. Trip was too short, but despite that, he probably ran the best race of his short career. Next time, over about 2m 6f, I’d like to think he’ll run nicely.

FOLLOW THE SWALLOW went back to Market Rasen today, where he had run so well earlier in the summer, for the 2m 6f handicap chase. Lily brought him into the race beautifully – he got to the front at the last without really knowing he’d been in a race – and it looked as though today would be his day … but then an 80-1, 55-start maiden of Michael Chapman’s came from out of the clouds to do him on the line ! To add insult to injury, Lily got days for the whip as well. I really felt for her.

BENTONS LAD also had a nice start for us. He’s had his wind done since joining us, and today’s run would have given him lots of confidence, staying on and finishing his race for the first time in a long while. I’d like to think he’ll win for us before the winter really kicks in.

I never like running 2 in the same race, but at this time of year it can be tricky to get horses into maiden and novice hurdles, let alone into the perfect race ! As a result, DAYDREAM AULMES and BOLDMERE both had to take their chances against each other, over a trip that was really shorter than ideal for each of them, at Chepstow today. Both ran OK, but both are better than the bare result suggests.

This time last year I can remember standing in the winners enclosure at Ayr with Harry Hunt having watched him grind out a victory through the mud. This year, it was SHADY GLEN at Wetherby – but the conditions could not have been more different ! I can’t believe I’m even saying this, but the ground was too quick for him – for Glen ! – in November ! He’s old enough and clever enough to look after himself, but you could see from his careful jumping that he wasn’t letting himself down. A drop of rain and he’ll be out again before long.